Strapping tool



J. M. GERRARD April 21 1959 STRAPPING TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 21-. 1953 April 21, 1959 M, ERRA D 2,882,934

STRAPPING TOOL Filed Sept. 21, 1953 2 Shets-Sheet 2 23 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIYII 39 35 32 .5 E 44 2 Z2; 0 2 l 45 6-" q i \JO-AE M Gerrard United States Patent STRAPPIN G TOOL John M. Gerrard, Melrose Park, Ill., assignor to A. J.

Gerrard & Company, Melrose Park, 111., a corporation of Illinois The invention relates generally to strapping tools and more particularly to a small hand-operated strap tensioning tool.

In the past, there have been numerous tools designed for tensioning strapping about objects in connection with the packaging thereof, etc., such tools, however, being relatively large and expensive whereby the use thereof has been limited substantially to commercial applications. Obviously, while the home owner and other persons may have occasion wherein such a tool might be utilized, the comparative high cost of such a tool generally prohibits its purchase except in those cases where the expected use of the tool is extensive.

The present invention, therefore, has among its objects the production of a strap tensioning tool by means of Which steel strapping or banding or other strap-like member may be suitably tensioned, which is very small in size and inexpensive to manufacture; hence, may be sold at a sufiiciently low price to permit its use by the average person.

Another object of the invention is the production of such a tool which is so designed that a single small tool may be employed with varying widths of strapping or band as, for example, from one-fourth of an inch to three-fourths of an inch in width and which may also be used with strapping of various thicknesses as, for example, from six one-thousandths to twenty-five onethousandths of an inch.

Another object of the invention is the production of such a tool which is very simple to use, requiring the use of only one hand and operated by a squeezing or gripping pressure on the tool similar to that employed With a pair of pliers or the like.

A further object of the invention is the production of such a tool which will take up strapping continuously, having no mandrel upon which the tensioned strap end is carried, and which will neither mar nor deface the tensioned portion of the strapping, thus eliminating waste, as all of the strapping can be effectively employed.

A further object of the invention is the production of such a tensioning tool which may embody a novel cutter structure and arrangement whereby the strapping may be automatically cut, following the tensioning operation in the normal operation of the device with only one hand of the operator, leaving the other hand of the operator free at all times.

Many other objects and advantages of the construc- I ent invention illustrating the toolin engagement with a strap;

waste of material whatsoever.

2,882,934 Patented Apr. 21 1959 Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a tool illustrated in Fig. 1, illustrating the same in open position prior to the tensioning operation and illustrating the tool in conjunction with a seal and length of strapping encircling an object or body being banded;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 44 of Fig. 3; i

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the operation of the cutting mechanism; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the clip employed in connection with the tool as illustrated in the other figures.

In the past, strapping tools have generally employed a rotary mandrel to which a free end of the strap to be tensioned is wound, the strap thereafter being tensioned by suitably rotating the mandrel. The present invention contemplates the use of a tool having actuating handles which may be grasped in one hand, the handles being relatively movable and adapted to be moved together by a squeezing or gripping action upon the handles to advance strapping through the device. A holding mechanism is also employed to retain the advanced strap in position during the return movement of the handles prior to the initiation of the next advancing operation. In the present invention, no rotatable mandrel is required, the strap or strap-like member being acted upon by a pair of opposed gripping elements between which the band is clamped and advanced therewith when the handle members are actuated. As the band may pass substantially straight through the device, the tensioned end of the band is not distorted nor marred during the advancing movement as it would be if it were coiled upon a rotatable mandrel. Consequently, such strap end may be utilized on the next banding operation without any Furthermore, as the band is not coiled on a mandrel or distorted, the strapping operations may be performed with a continuous coil of strapping, the tensioning device being applied to the coil end of the strap so that only the necessary amount of strapping is employed on any particular object.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the reference numeral 1 indicates generally a V-shaped strap-engaging head having a strap-receiving slot 2 therein, such slot extending longitudinally through the head and opening on one side thereof, as illustrated in Fig. 2, permitting the band to be inserted in the slot from such side face of the head. Operatively connected to the head 1 are a pair of handle members 3 and 4 or operator-operated means, the handle 3 in the embodiment of the invention illustrated being rigidly attached to the head 1 by a pin or rivet 5. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the head 1 is provided with a vertically extending slot 6, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, forming parallel flanges 7a having aligned bores 8 therein through which the pin 5 extends. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the handles 3 and 4 are constructed in the form of stampings, which are generally U-shaped in cross section, having side wall portions 9 and intermediate connecting portions 11. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the side walls 9 of the adjacent end portions 14 of the side walls 9 thereof between the flanges 7b, such portion, however, being rounded at its ends, as indicated at 15, to permit the handle 4 to be pivoted about its mounting pin whereby tthe handle .4 may be pivoted toward and away from :the :handle Loosely pivoted on the pin 5' is a movable strap ,gripper or dog, indicated generally bythe numeral 16, having a curved convex serrated upper end face 17 adapted to engage a strap or strap-like member S posigtioned inithe slot 2. Asillustrated in Fig. 3, the gripper 16 is bifurcated to form spaced parallel flanged or'leg portions :18 .between whichis positioned a torsion spring .19, the latter being coiled around the pin 5' andengaged at .oneend with the head 1 andat-the opposite end withtthe gripper 16, the spring thus tending to rotate the gripper :16 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3. Carried by each of the handle members .3 and 4, is .a spring-biased strap-advancing gripper 21, the latter being provided with a serrated convex strap-gripping end face 22 and arranged with such end faces in opposed relation. The oppositeendsof the respective grippers 21 are pivot- ,ally mounted to their respective handle members by rivets ,orpins 23 which extend through the respective gripper rnernbers. As clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, each of the gripper members 21 is bifurcated adjacent its pivotal connection with the handle members; and positioned ,in-each .of theslots 24 formed thereby is a torsion spring 25, one end 26 of each spring bearing on its respective handle ;member and the opposite end 27 bearing onits respective gripper. .endsof the grippers are urged in the directionof the head 1 so that the upper gripper, as viewed in Fig. 3, is'urged in a clockwise direction and the lower gripper in a counterclockwise direction.

In utilizing the tensioning apparatus above described, ith strap is inserted in the slot 2 of the head, as illustrated in Fig. 2, with the strap extending between the grip- ;ping block 13 and the serrated face 17 of the gripper 16 and between the serrated faces 22 of the advancing grip- .pers 21, this operation being accomplished by spreading 'the handles 3 and 4 to the position illustrated in Fig.2. Gripping means for the strap S is thus provided by the grippingblock 13 and holding gripper 16. It will be noted that in this position the upper advancing gripper 21 abuts ,the gripping block 13 while the lower gripper 21 abuts the holding gripper 16. As the separating movement of the handles 3 and 4 is continued, the advancing grippers .21 are thus separated to permit the band or strapping to be inserted therebetween. The spring 25, urging the lower gripper 21 in a counterclockwise direction, is constructed of stiffer material than the spring 19, urging'the serrated face 17 of the holding gripper 16 toward the "block 13. Consequently, as the handle 4 is moved in a separating direction with respect to the handle 3, the lower gripper 21 will engage the rear face 28 of the holding gripper 16 providing a lost-motion connection whereby the two grippers will assume the position illustrated in ,Fig. 2. Continued separating movement of the handle 4 will thus cause the gripper 16 to rotate in a clockwise direction with the handle. It will be noted that the face -17 .of the gripper 16 is not curved on a radius of the pin 5', the radial distance being less adjacent the front edge of the gripper than adjacent the real, so that such clockwise rotation will rotate the face 17 away from the opposed face 1290f the block 13 so that the strap may be freely inserted therebetween. As the handle is then rotated about its pivot pin 5 in a direction toward the handle 3, the serrated face of the gripper 16 will engage the adjacent face of the strap and the serrated faces 22 of the gripper 21 will engage the respective adjacent strap faces similar to that illustrated in Fig. 3. It will be noted that the longitudinal axes of the respective gripper members 21 extend at an anglewith respect to a line connecting the centers of t e p n 2 o th t he contact por ons of the serrated faces 22 with the strapping are positioned The springs are so designed that the serrated rearwardly with respect to such line. Thus, as the handle .4 .is .moved toward the handle 3, a toggle action results with the upper gripper 21 tending to rotate in a counterclockwise direction and the lower gripper in a clockwise direction in opposition to their respective springs 25. As such relative movement of the handles applies pressure to the serrated faces 22 oft'he grippers 21, the strap is firmly gripped between the two gripper members and continued movement of the handles results in the strap being drawn through the head 1 toward the line as viewed in Fig. 3. During this operation,the holding gripper 16 mayrotate slightly in a clockwise direction, permitting the strap to slide between the face 17 and the adjacent face 29 of the block 13. Suchclosingmovement of the handles 3 and 4 may continue until the grippers .21 engage suitable stock pins 31 extending between the side walls 9 of the respective handle members. The handle 4 may then be rotated in a separate direction with respect to the handle 3 which will .permit the grippers 21 to return'to'their original position. Asthe grippers 21 begin to release the strap, any withdrawal action of the strap in the opposite direction, to win-toward the head 1 will result in a Wedging action :between.the.serrated face 17 of the'lholding dog 16 and the adjacent face 29 of the block 13. The separating movement of the handles is continued merely until the advancing grippers 21 are in their returned position from their outward movement limited by the stops 31, whereby a full stroke may be obtained by subsequently moving'the handle'4 toward the handle 3, so that the handles are not separatedasufficient distance to completely disengage the gripper 16 from the strap. This alternate gripping and release action is repeated until a sufiicient amount of strap by incremental movements has been cyclically advanced .with a vtranslatory movement through the device.

Whenit-is desired to disengage the device from the strap, the handles are merely separated a sufficient distance to rotate the dog 16 out of operative engagement with the strap, thus permitting the latter to be withdrawn.

To facilitate the application of the structure above .described -to the tensioning of banding strap, the head '1 is preferably formed with converging upper and lower faces 32 and 33, the extreme free end of the head 1 having end faces 34 which extend substantially vertical with respect to theslot 2 of the head. The device may be readily employed with any suitable type clip, one, for example, being illustrated in Fig. 6 wherein the clip 35 formed of sheet metal is provided with opposed portions 36 bent into aligned-relation with theirfree end edges 37 in opposition .to form a slot :38 through which the strapping S may ex- -tend. The clip .35 is also provided with a pair ofupstanding ears or lugs 39 adapted to lock the strap in tensioned relation as hereinafter described. In banding an .object, body 0, or article, one end 41 of the strap is inserted throughthe slot 38 of the clip, the strap being inserted from the end adjacent the portions 36 with the free end bent around the outer face 42 of the clip, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The strap is then brought around the article or object and threaded through the slot 38 above the opposite end portion. of the strap, following which the adjacent free end of the strap is inserted in the head 1, in the manner heretofore described, so that the strap will assume the relative positions illustrated in Fig. 2, the handles 3 and 4 being in open position during such threading of the strap. Sufiicient strap- .ping is .drawn through the head to position the end faces 3410f the latter in engagement with the end edges 43 of the clip 35. The handles 3 and 4 may then be successively .closed and opened with a to-and-fro movement, advancing the free end :of the strap through the tool and tensioning the latter about the object 0. When suflicient tension has been placed upon the strap, the tool may be rotated upwardly, pivoting the same about the edges 34 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4, thus bending the strap about :the adjacent edge 44 of the clip 35. Following this operation, the tool may be removed from the strap end, the latter being suitably held by the operator to prevent the strap from bending to its original position and pulling through the clip; and following removal of the tool, the free strap end may then be bent downwardly between the ears or lugs 39 and the latter bent over the adjacent upper face of the strap end to lock the same in position.

While the tool thus far described may be utilized in connection with a suitable cutter tool for severing the tensioned strap, I prefer to provide a novel cutter structure which is so arranged on the tensioning tool that the cutter mechanism is actuated during the normal operation of the tool without requiring a separate manual operation or requiring the operator to use both hands, one holding the tool and the other actuating the cutter.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the cutting mechanism or means for cutting or severing comprises a rotatable cutter member, indicated generally by the numeral 45, of generally cylindrical shape having a cutter portion 46, a cylindrical shank portion 47, and a threaded stem 48. The cutter 45 is positioned in a bore 49 in the head 1, the axis of the bore extending parallel to the slot 2 so that the bore 49 and slot 2 intercept. The shank portion 47 of the cutter extends through a smaller coaxial bore 51 which forms a shoulder 52 adapted to engage the shoulder 53 formed at the juncture of the cutter portion 46 and the shank 47. Positioned on the threaded stem 48, which is of lesser diameter than the shank 47, and seated on the shoulder 54 formed thereby is a cutter actuating lever or lever means, indicated generally by the numeral 55, with the stem 48 passing through an opening 56 in the lever 55. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the stem 48 is flattened on opposite sides forming parallel flats 57 and the opening 56 complementally formed to the parallel flats 57 in the lever 55 is complementally shaped to the stem 48 whereby the lever and stem are rigidly secured together with respect to relative rotation therebetween. The lever 55 is secured to the cutter 45 by a suitable nut 58 threaded on the stem 48, thus preventing axial movement of the lever relative to the cutter. Encircling the portion of the shank 47 of the cutter is a torsion spring 59, one end 61 of which is engaged with the lever 55, the end 61 being provided with a hook-shaped portion 62 engaged with the adjacent edge of the cutter lever. The opposite end 63 of the spring 59 is provided with a hook-shaped portion 64 which is engaged with a laterally extending pin 65 carried by the head 1 and positioned in the path of the end portion 66, Fig. 5, of the lever 55 to form a stop for the lever, limiting its forward movement in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, with the spring 59 being operative to urge the lever in such direction.

As illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the cutter portion 46 of the cutter 45 is provided with a face 67 extending at an angle to the axis of the cutter 45, such face outwardly diverging from the axis and forming a cutting or shearing edge 68 at the intersection of the face 67 with the cylindrical side wall surface of the portion 46, which edge is outwardly inclined above the slot 2 and a strap positioned in the latter. As the lever 55 is moved rearwardly or in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4, the edge 68, Fig. 3, will initially engage the strap adjacent the inner edge thereof and cooperating with the edge 69 at the juncture of the slot with the bore 49 to sever or shear the strap, full movement of the lever 55, resulting in complete severance of the strap. It will be noted that as the cutting edge 68 of the cutter is inclined with respect to the edge 69, the shearing action successively progresses across the strap rather than engaging the strap entirely across its face, resulting in a very efiicient cutting action with a minimum amount of force applied to the lever 55.

The free end of the lever 55 is provided with a generally L-shaped laterally extending portion 71 with the juncture the two leg portions 72 and 73 being founded,

as indicated at 74.

' With the cutter construction above described, the lever 55 during tensioning operations will be positioned, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and following completion of such tensioning operation, the device may be rotated in the manner previously described, more or less about the edges 34 of the head 1, to bend the strap in the manner illustrated in Fig. 5. As rotation of the tool is continued, the portion 73 of the lever will engage the adjacent portion of the strap so that further rotation of the tool will result in rotation of the lever 55 about its axis, such relative movement being clockwise with respect to the head 1, as viewed in Fig. 4, bringing the cutting edge 68 into engagement with the strap and ultimately severing the latter. Following the severance of the strap, the tool may be removed from the free strap end and the latter bent down and engaged with the ears or lugs 39 of the seal. It will be apparent from the above that the tensioning and cutting operation may be readily performed with the tool grasped in one hand without manually actuating the cutter with the other hand.

While the tool may be constructed without the cutter, in which case other means would be employed for severing the strap, the particular combination of elements and arrangement shown and described provides a combination tensioning and cutting tool wherein the respective parts thereof produce a novel coaction to cut the strap, more or less automatically in connection with the normal tensioning and banding operation. It will further be noted that the cutter is so arranged with respect to the head 1 that the strap is severed at a point which will provide the correct length of strap material at the free end thereof for use with a seal of the type illustrated; and as the strapping is not distorted during the tensioning operations as it would be, for example, if a rotatable mandrel were employed, the banding operation may be performed with a coil of strapping as well as with fixed predetermined lengths thereof thereby completely eliminating strap waste. Where the banding operation is being performed with a coil of strapping, the free end of the coil is inserted through the clip, brought around the object, and the free end again inserted through the clip and bent back upon itself, as illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, and 5. Following the tensioning operation, the strap is severed from the coil. The free coil end of the strap which has not been deformed during the tensioning operation may then be employed on the next banding operation.

While I have illustrated the operation of the device in connection with a noncrimped seal 35, obviously, the tool may be employed with various types of seals as, for example, those which are crimped following the tensioning operation to mechanically interlock the seal and ends of the strap together.

It will be noted from the above description that the device may be constructed as a comparatively small, very light-weight tool, Fig. 2, illustrating the actual size of one embodiment of the invention. Consequently, the tool may be manufactured and sold at relatively low cost, low enough to be purchased and used by the average home owner, businessman, etc., who normally would not have sufiicient use for a strapping tool to warrant the purchase of present comparatively high priced tools. Likewise, as previously mentioned, a tool of the size illustrated in Fig. 2 will readily accommodate strapping varying in width from one-fourth of an inch to three-fourths of an inch and having a thickness of from six one-thousandths to twenty-five one-thousandths of an inch. If desired, the tool may be readily modified to accommodate other sizes of strapping. While the tool has been particularly described for use with conventional strap iron or band iron, it is adapted for use with other forms of strap-like material such as wire, plastic strapping or various coated strappings available. It is within the scope of the invention that other shapes of strapmodified strapping. ,is so designed that his exceedingly simple-in construction,

strap waste.

ping .other than rectangular may the used with the tool upon modification of the head to suitably receive the It will also be noted that the tool having a minimum of movable .parts, and will take up strapping continuously without marringor defacing the tensioned portion thereof, thus completely eliminating It will also be apparent that the mechanism is so constructed that the tension may "be readily released at any time, merely by separating the handles so that, when desired or required, the bend may be readily disengaged from or repositioned in the tool.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention;

hence, I do not wish tobe understood as limiting myself tothe exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

WhatI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

l. A banding tool for completing the banding of an object with a strap-like member after the strap-like memher is initially positioned about the periphery of the object, comprising in combination, a strap-engaging-head provided with a strap-receiving slot extending therethrough for laterally receiving the free end of the straplike member, handle members operatively mounted on said strap-engaging head, one of said handle members being pivotally mounted on said strap-engaging head, said strap-engaging head including a gripping block at one side of said slot, a cooperable spring-biased holding gripper opposed to said gripping block and operatively related to said pivoted handle member, said holding gripper being normally operative to restrict withdrawal movement of a strap-like member engaged therewith, spring-biased advancing grippers operatively mounted on respective handle members in oppositely disposed relation and constructed to engage the strap-like member at an angle whose apex extends in the strap advancing direction, whereby upon relative inward movement of the handle members, the strap-like member is advanced through the strap-engaging head by movement of the advancing grippers in the direction of movement of the strap-like member, and upon outward movement of the handle members, the advancing grippers return to their normal position to re-engage the straplike member so that the strap-like member initially positioned about the object may be tensioned by incremental movement of the strap-like member upon the strap-engaging head engaging the object being banded, and means for cutting the strap-like member comprising a cutter portion rotatably mounted in the strap-engaging head and extending transversely of the strap-receiving slot, and a lever operatively connected to the cutter and adapted to engage an adjacent portion of the strap-like member about the object upon rotation of the banding tool toward the object about the free end of the strap-engaging head, where by further rotation of the banding tool in the same direction causes the cutter to sever the strap-like member within the strap-receiving slot.

2. A strap tensioning device for a strap-like member comprising a strap-engaging head and formed with a strap-receiving slot extending therethrough for threadably receiving therein a portion of the strap-like member, said strap-like member extending through and beyond the strap-receiving slot, handle members operatively mounted on the strap-engaging head and symmetrically positioned with respect to the strap-receiving slot for relative inward and outward movement with respect to each other, strap advancing means comprising pivotally mounted and spring-biased advancing grippers with serrated inner faces operatively mounted on the handle members contiguous to the strap-engaging head, said serrated inner faces operable in one position permitting the serrated faces to engage each other, and permitting the straplike member to be positioned therebetween upon slight outward movement of the handle members, and with the strap-like member engaged by serrated faces of the advancing grippers at an angle whose apex extends in strap advancing direction, upon inward movement of the handle members the advancing grippers are moved away from the strap-engaging head advancing the strap-like member through the strap-receiving slot.

3. A strap tensioning device according to claim 2, wherein upon outward movement of the handle members, the advancing grippers are biased toward the strapengaging head for reengaging the strap-like member upon inward movement of the handle members.

4. A strap tensioning device for a strap-like member comprising a strap-engaging head and formed with a strap-receiving slot extending therethrough for threadably receiving therein a portion of the strap-like member, said strap-like member extending through and beyond the strap-receiving slot, handle members operatively mounted on the strap-engaging head for relative to-andfro movement with respect to each other, spring-biased strap-advancing means pivotally mounted on the handle members for to-and-fro movement with respect to the strap-engaging head, and permitting the strap-like member to be positioned therebetween upon slight outward movement of one of said handle members, and operable with the strap-like member engaged by the strap-advancing means at an angle whose apex extends in strap advancing direction, upon to-and-fro movement of the handle members, the strap-like member is first gripped and advanced a predetermined amount corresponding to the movement of the strap-advancing means and re-gripped.

5. In a band cutting tool for severing a strap-like member used in banding a body after-the strap-like member has been initially aflixed and tensioned upon the body, the combination of a strap-engaging head formed with a strap-receiving slot for threadably receiving the strap-like member, said strap-receiving head including a gripping block and a cooperable spring-biased holder gripper on opposite sides of said strap-receiving slot, handle members operatively mounted on the strap-engaging head, one of said handle members pivotally mounted on said strap-engaging head and the other rigidly affixed to said strap-engaging head, said holder gripper pivotally mounted on the handle member pivotally mounted on said strap-engaging head and operatively extending within the aforesaid slot, a rotatable cutter operatively mounted for transverse movement with respect to the slot'in the strap-engaginghead, lever means operatively connected to the rotatable cutter and adapted to operatively engage the handle member rigidly affixed to said strap-engaging head for limiting the rotary movement of said cutter, spring means for biasing the rotatable cutter to permit a clear passage through the aforesaid slot, and said lever means adapted to engage the strap-like member initially wrapped about the body upon a rotary motion of the band cutting tool on an axis extending substantially parallel to the axis of said cutter and thereafter upon further rotary motion of the tool the cutter is rotated to cut the strap-like member while the latter is held by said gripping means as the handles approach the lever means.

6. A banding and tensioning tool comprising a strapengaging head provided with a strap-receiving slot for receiving a strap-like member, said strap-engaging head including a gripping block, a handle member pivotally mounted on the strap-engaging head for oscillatory movement, said handle member being ,L-shaped, spring-biased gripping means operatively mounted on the pivotal connection of the handle member to the strap-engaging head, said gripping means being bifurcated providing leg portions, said gripping means operatively mounted by said leg portions on said pivotal connection of the handle member and adapted to extend within the slot whereby in one position of the handle, the strap-like member is engaged between said gripping block and said springbiased gripping means and in another position of the handle, the strap-like member is adapted to be threaded within the slot, a spring-biased advancing gripper pivotally mounted on the handle and normally biased against the aforesaid spring-biased gripping means, said leg portions of the gripping means adapted to engage the advancing gripper forming a lost-motion connection between the gripping means and the advancing gripper, another springbiased advancing gripper symmetrically positioned with respect to the first-mentioned advancing gripper forming an arcuate line of contact between the advancing grippers and the contiguous faces of the strap-like member, said spring-biased advancing grippers constructed to engage said strap-like member at an angle whose apex extends in strap advancing direction whereby upon movement of the handle member, the first-mentioned advancing gripper engages the strap-like member causing the advancing grippers to rotate through a predetermined angle, stop means for limiting the motions of the advancing grippers and upon release of the handle member, the springbiased advancing grippers are returned to their normal position and the gripping means secures the strap-like member in its advanced position, said first-mentioned spring-biased advancing gripper being biased in a direction toward the gripping means.

7. In a strap tensioning device, the combination of a strap-receiving member including a gripping block, and having a strap-receiving slot therein for receiving a straplike member, a pair of handle members carried by said strap-receiving member, said handle members being pivotally related whereby they may be moved toward and away from each other, one of said handle members pivotally mounted on said strap-receiving member, a pair of opposed advancing grippers, each operatively related to a respective handle member, said advancing grippers each having an end constructed for engagement with a portion of a strap inserted in said strap-receiving member and pivoted at their opposite ends to respective handle members, said advancing grippers constructed to engage said strap-like member at an angle whose apex extends in strap advancing direction, means for biasing said advancing grippers in a direction toward said strap-receiving member, and a strap-holding gripper pivotally mounted on said strap-receiving member on an axis common to said pivotally mounted handle member and operative to aflix the strap-like member between the gripping block and the strap-holding gripper to maintain the strap end under tension following actuation of said grippers.

8. In a strap tensioning device, the combination of a strap-engaging member having a strap-receiving slot therein, a pair of handle members associated with said strapengaging member at opposite sides of the plane of said strap-receiving slot, one of said handle members being pivotally related to said strap-engaging member, a pair of strap-advancing gripper means, each pivotally related adjacent one end thereof to a respective handle member, said strap-advancing gripper means extending toward said plane on said strap-receiving slot with the opposite ends of the strap-advancing gripper means being constructed for engagement with a strap extending through said strap-receiving slot, the strap engaging end portions of said strap-advancing gripper means being spaced in a strap advancing direction from a line connecting their pivotal centers, whereby relative movement of said handle members toward one another will urge the strapengaging ends of the strap-advancing gripper means and a strap engaged therebetween in advancing direction, and a holding gripper pivotally mounted on said pivotally mounted handle member and operable for engagement with such a strap in said strap-receiving slot to maintain the strap in fixed relation relative to said strapengaging member during relative return movement of said handles and strap-advancing gripper means.

9. A strap tensioning device for a strap-like member comprising a strap-engaging head and formed with a strap-receiving slot extending therethrough from a face of the strap-engaging head for threadably receiving edgewise a portion of the strap-like member, said strap-like member extending through and beyond the strap-receiving slot, said strap-engaging head including a gripping block and a cooperable spring-biased holder gripper on opposite sides of said strap-receiving slot, handle members operatively mounted on and extending rearwardly from the strap-engaging head for gripping movement with respect to each other, one of said handle members pivotally mounted on said strap-engaging head, said cooperable spring-biased holder gripper operatively mounted on said pivotally mounted handle member and operatively mounted for extending within the slot for gripping the strap-like member between the holder gripper and gripping block, spring-biased strap-advancing means pivotally mounted on the handle members and forming a continuation of the strap-receiving slot to enable the end of the strap-like member to be positioned therebetween, said spring-biased strap-advancing means in their normal position spaced in a strap-advancing direction from a line connecting the centers about which the spring-biased strap-advancing means pivot, said spring-biased strapadvancing means in one position biased against contiguous faces of said gripping block and cooperable springbiased holder gripper, and with the strap-like member engaged by the strap-advancing means upon alternate gripping and release of the handle members the straplike member is first gripped between the holder gripper and the gripping block, advanced a predetermined amount through the strap-receiving slot, and re-gripped upon release of the handle members in the gripping movement, and said gripping block and cooperable spring-biased holder gripper adapted for operatively holding the straplike member in advanced position during return movement of said handle members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,031,357 McKee t. July 2, 1912 1,374,588 Legendre Apr. 12, 1921 2,208,114 Campbell July 16, 1940 2,283,827 Spencer May 19, 1942 2,334,637 McKee Nov. 16, 1943 2,622,460 Keeble Dec. 23, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 595,841 France July 25, 1925 

